The Girl in the Park

Starred review from February 20, 2012
Fredericks’s haunting psychological thriller is filtered through the watchful eyes of high school student Rain, as she looks into the death of her classmate Wendy, who is found murdered in Central Park the night after a party. Both outsiders, Rain and Wendy used to be close, but by their junior year they have grown apart. Rain, self-conscious about a speech impediment that is the result of a cleft palate, is a reticent observer of life, while Wendy is, on the surface, an attention-seeking, relationship-wrecking party girl from Long Island. Devastated by Wendy’s death and protective of the late teenager’s reputation, which is being trashed in the tabloids and at school, Rain fishes around for information, putting herself at risk. Fredericks’s mystery unfolds gracefully, revealing the rich inner life that Rain is so reluctant to share, as well as a complex portrait of Wendy, the kind of girl people “love to hate.” Rain’s voice provides an authentic portrait of grief and powerlessness, while Fredericks (Crunch Time) offers profound, provocative commentary on what it means to grow up in the age of Facebook. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House.

February 1, 2012
"If Wendy could, she'd scream her killer's name so the whole world heard her... But she can't. Her killer took her voice away. So I have to use mine." When shy Rain's former friend, outgoing Wendy is found strangled to death in a New York City park, at first all Rain can do is grieve and feel regret about their failed friendship. But she soon becomes convinced from classroom gossip about Wendy's last night that the murderer wasn't a homeless vagrant but someone she knew. Wendy had a reputation for going after other girls' boyfriends, and she'd openly announced on Facebook that attached bad boy Nico Phelps would be hers. Did he or his trust-fund girlfriend finally grow tired of her unwelcome advances? Rain is determined to find out, even if it means speaking up, something she rarely does because of a childhood speech impediment. Then a new piece of evidence challenges Rain's initial conclusions, and she is terrified to discover that the murderer is closer than she imagined. Though Rain's amateur investigation doesn't start until the latter part of the novel, and the climax is a bit perfunctory, if gratifying, both Rain and Wendy emerge as fully rounded, flawed characters that teens will recognize and connect with. A satisfying whodunit with enough clues and red herrings to keep mystery fans happy. (Mystery. 14 & up)

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May 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-Wendy Geller had the reputation of being a wild party girl at her elite private school, but Rain knows that her best friend wanted to fit in and to be popular. She also knows that Wendy earned a lot of enemies by going after popular girls' boyfriends. When the teen turns up dead after a party, Rain is determined to find out what happened. She is also an outcast; the other kids make fun of her speech difficulties due to a cleft palate. But in order to find the murderer, she has to force herself out of the background. Talking to some of the in crowd gives her a new perspective on her classmates, and her search leads her to several suspects. When she discovers the true killer, it nearly tears the school apart. Rain finds her voice and realizes she must speak out for her friend who can no longer speak for herself. The story starts off slowly, gradually building to a surprise ending. Rather than a heavy-handed explanation of Rain's cleft palate, details are sprinkled throughout the story, building readers' understanding of her communication difficulties and readers' compassion for her.-Diana Pierce, Leander High School, TX

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2012
Grades 8-12 Born with a cleft palate, Rain was cruelly mocked by her classmates at the exclusive Alcott School, but after years of speech therapy, her speech has greatly improved. Even so, in her junior year, not talking is still a habit. One friend, Wendy, encouraged Rain: You're brilliant. So give up the silence. But the teens grew apart after Wendy became the school's wild girl. Then Wendy's strangled body is found in a park, and headlines and school gossip paint her as a slut whose behavior led to her random killing. Rain remembers Wendy's kindness, though, and as she realizes that facts aren't adding up, she recognizes that she is going to have to speak up. Fredericks has constructed a taut, suspenseful mystery with convincing characters whose actions and motives propel the plot. Rain is an unusual, compelling protagonist, a watcher who must step reluctantly out of her comfort zone. Observant readers will likely suspect the culprit before Rain, but they will find as much satisfaction in observing Rain's personal growth as in the solving of the intriguing mystery.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)